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Long fiber propellers are low cost alternative to metal
Reinforced Plastics Volume 59, Number 4 July/August 2015
are approximately 10% lower for a production run of up to 30,000 parts/year. For higher production volumes this cost reduction becomes even more significant. Improved noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) behavior was found to be a further notable benefit of composites. Acoustic tests confirmed a significant noise reduction for the composite cylinder casing compared with the aluminum reference part. In addition, thermal tests verified reduced heat radiation from the composite part to
the surrounding environment. Thermosensors mounted on the exhaust, drive and inlet side of the composite part all settled at a significantly lower temperature than the sensors on the aluminum component.
All-composite engine SBHPP is now planning to work with engine suppliers and automotive OEMs to take this concept to market. It also plans to build on the success of this research by developing a more complex multi-cylinder composite-
APPLICATIONS
based engine, with the ultimate aim of introducing an all-composite engine. This is envisioned in the virtual engine concept, a small, scalable engine architecture with two, three or four cylinders which uses SBHPP compounds and composite materials. This engine is designed for use as primary engine for passenger cars or motorcycles or as a range extender for electric vehicles. SBHPP High Performance Plastics; www. sbhpp.com
Long fiber propellers are low cost alternative to metal Piranha Propellers, a manufacture of composite replacement propellers, has used long glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite developed by U.S.-based PlastiComp to make stronger replacement parts. The composite propeller design consists of a center hub with three or four slots for inserting interchangeable blades of varying size and pitch. Easily changing a damaged or broken blade instead of the entire prop lowers ownership cost, and interchangeability also allows tuning of propulsion thrust to meet a boats intended use, for either speed or transporting loads. When a metal propeller blade strikes a submersed obstacle, it can permanently bend or break, with severe impact forces often causing additional costly damage to the motors lower unit. However, with a
transferring damaging forces to the motors lower unit.
Demanding applications
The composite propeller design consists of a center hub with three or four slots for inserting interchangeable blades of varying size and pitch.
Piranha composite propeller, the blades are able to flex and absorb the energy from minor impacts. At higher impacts, the blades, which have lower shear strength than metal, sacrifice themselves by breaking and releasing energy before
Lower unit repairs can cost up to several thousand dollars, making a US$25 composite replacement blade a considerable cost saver. Piranha uses a Comple¯t MT series long glass fiber reinforced nylon 6 composite from PlastiComp for all its propellers. The company formulated the range for maximum toughness to provide up to 40% more impact resistance than standard long fiber reinforced materials. The durability provided by the fiber composites makes them suitable for demanding applications like Piranha’s propellers. PlastiComp; www.plasticomp.com
Prize-winning Intrado car made with Scott Bader materials Two advanced composites materials developed by Scott Bader have been used to manufacture the chassis of the Intrado super-lightweight carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) car, which won the JEC 2015 Jury Prize in Paris. The vacuum infused chassis components for the vehicle use Crestapol 1250LV as the acrylic thermoset resin while all of the chassis and frame CFRP components are robotically bonded together using Crestabond M1-20 primer-less structural adhesive.
The vacuum infused chassis components for the Intrado vehicle use Crestapol 1250LV as the acrylic thermoset resin.
Molding process The structural beam technology has a 3D woven structure, comprising a carbon fiber
braid over machine laid multiple preforms made of closed cell low density polyethylene
foam. Crestapol 1250LV resin is then infused by vacuum assisted resin transfer molding around the carbon fibers and LDPE preforms. During the molding process, the LPDE foam expands and takes the shape of the tool, creating the internal structure with shear webs. Crestapol 1250LV is an ambient temperature curing urethane acrylate based thermosetting resin, which is compatible with carbon fibers. It was developed by Scott Bader specifically for producing high performance carbon fiber reinforced and glass fiber parts by vacuum infusion, resin transfer molding or any closed mold process. Scott Bader; www.scottbader.com
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are approximately 10% lower for a production run of up to 30,000 parts/year. For higher production volumes this cost reduction becomes even more significant. Improved noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) behavior was found to be a further notable benefit of composites. Acoustic tests confirmed a significant noise reduction for the composite cylinder casing compared with the aluminum reference part. In addition, thermal tests verified reduced heat radiation from the composite part to
the surrounding environment. Thermosensors mounted on the exhaust, drive and inlet side of the composite part all settled at a significantly lower temperature than the sensors on the aluminum component.
All-composite engine SBHPP is now planning to work with engine suppliers and automotive OEMs to take this concept to market. It also plans to build on the success of this research by developing a more complex multi-cylinder composite-
APPLICATIONS
based engine, with the ultimate aim of introducing an all-composite engine. This is envisioned in the virtual engine concept, a small, scalable engine architecture with two, three or four cylinders which uses SBHPP compounds and composite materials. This engine is designed for use as primary engine for passenger cars or motorcycles or as a range extender for electric vehicles. SBHPP High Performance Plastics; www. sbhpp.com
Long fiber propellers are low cost alternative to metal Piranha Propellers, a manufacture of composite replacement propellers, has used long glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite developed by U.S.-based PlastiComp to make stronger replacement parts. The composite propeller design consists of a center hub with three or four slots for inserting interchangeable blades of varying size and pitch. Easily changing a damaged or broken blade instead of the entire prop lowers ownership cost, and interchangeability also allows tuning of propulsion thrust to meet a boats intended use, for either speed or transporting loads. When a metal propeller blade strikes a submersed obstacle, it can permanently bend or break, with severe impact forces often causing additional costly damage to the motors lower unit. However, with a
transferring damaging forces to the motors lower unit.
Demanding applications
The composite propeller design consists of a center hub with three or four slots for inserting interchangeable blades of varying size and pitch.
Piranha composite propeller, the blades are able to flex and absorb the energy from minor impacts. At higher impacts, the blades, which have lower shear strength than metal, sacrifice themselves by breaking and releasing energy before
Lower unit repairs can cost up to several thousand dollars, making a US$25 composite replacement blade a considerable cost saver. Piranha uses a Comple¯t MT series long glass fiber reinforced nylon 6 composite from PlastiComp for all its propellers. The company formulated the range for maximum toughness to provide up to 40% more impact resistance than standard long fiber reinforced materials. The durability provided by the fiber composites makes them suitable for demanding applications like Piranha’s propellers. PlastiComp; www.plasticomp.com
Prize-winning Intrado car made with Scott Bader materials Two advanced composites materials developed by Scott Bader have been used to manufacture the chassis of the Intrado super-lightweight carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) car, which won the JEC 2015 Jury Prize in Paris. The vacuum infused chassis components for the vehicle use Crestapol 1250LV as the acrylic thermoset resin while all of the chassis and frame CFRP components are robotically bonded together using Crestabond M1-20 primer-less structural adhesive.
The vacuum infused chassis components for the Intrado vehicle use Crestapol 1250LV as the acrylic thermoset resin.
Molding process The structural beam technology has a 3D woven structure, comprising a carbon fiber
braid over machine laid multiple preforms made of closed cell low density polyethylene
foam. Crestapol 1250LV resin is then infused by vacuum assisted resin transfer molding around the carbon fibers and LDPE preforms. During the molding process, the LPDE foam expands and takes the shape of the tool, creating the internal structure with shear webs. Crestapol 1250LV is an ambient temperature curing urethane acrylate based thermosetting resin, which is compatible with carbon fibers. It was developed by Scott Bader specifically for producing high performance carbon fiber reinforced and glass fiber parts by vacuum infusion, resin transfer molding or any closed mold process. Scott Bader; www.scottbader.com
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